After our back-to-back winter blasts on the Outer Banks, we are scrambling for anything to keep the chill from getting in our bones! From warm fires to comfort food to hot cocoa, we’ve been bundling up and snuggling up for days now trying to hold it together until our fair weather or spring pokes its head back around the Outer Banks! Across the country to the west and to the north, it seems it has been an active winter season with records lows to the west and plenty of snow and cold temperatures to the north. Even Texas has been experiencing unprecedented wintery conditions with snow and ice causing travel delays and a serious need for ice scrapers.

So, until Groundhog Day rolls around and tells us what the next 6 weeks hold, try out some of these delicious, hearty winter soups to keep you comfortable until the beach begins to beckon to you again.

2. Black Bean Soup – A great option for vegetarians, or those looking to watch their weight and get healthy in the New Year, as black beans help with managing your hunger pains due to the way the nutrients interact with your metabolism. Many opt to spice this recipe up a bit with curry or red pepper, and for all of the bacon lovers out there, throwing in ham or bacon can give this meal some depth and heartiness.

3. Chunky Tomato Soup – For the best texture in this vibrant tomato soup, puree half of the soup until smooth, then stir it into the chunky base.

4. Beer and Cheddar Soup – When Jonathon Erdeljac opened his restaurant, Jonathon’s Oak Cliff, in Dallas, he knew he wanted to serve this rich soup. It’s a favorite of his, especially with jalapeños and smoky bacon stirred in.

5. Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp – Influenced by his Turkish-American wife, Meltem, Scott Conantspices up his silky potato soup with Turkish red-pepper paste (biber salcasi), made from sweet and hot peppers. Look for the paste at Middle Eastern groceries, or use harissa instead.

6. Winter Squash Soup with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds – Chef Susur Lee is renowned for his creative, complex,Asian-inflected dishes at his restaurants in Toronto, Manhattan and Singapore. But one of his favorite cold-weather comfort recipes is this remarkably simple squash soup, which he sweetens with a little honey and garnishes with roasted pumpkin seeds.

7. Nordic Winter Vegetable Soup – Trina Hahnemann calls the root vegetables in this simple vegetarian soup the “gold of Nordic soil” because they’re high in nutrients and grow well in cold climates.

8. French Onion Soup – Cooking the onions for a very long time over low heat mellows their flavor. Don’t stir them too often or they won’t caramelize. This soup tastes best when made with homemade beef stock.

10. Corn-and-Cod Chowder – With its all-American ingredients, this New England-style chowder is a comfort-food classic. The soup needs only bread, or traditional oyster crackers, as an accompaniment.

11. Spicy Chickpea and Tomato Soup – A spicy twist on a classic soup with chickpeas to add depth and texture. Mix up the spices with curry and other options to decrease or increase the heat as desired.